Carpal Tunnel Wrist Splints

January 3, 2012 by Filed under Uncategorized

If you’ve suffered from carpal tunnel for even a fraction of the time that I have, you’ve probably not only spent endless hours on the internet looking for a solution but your wallet is most likely a little lighter.

If you’ve visited your Doctor to get a confirmation that it is carpal tunnel you have, he/she will most likely perform a carpal tunnel test.

After the test has been performed, he/she will most likely recommend you purchase a carpal tunnel wrist splints. If your Doctor is a GP, then he/she do not specialize in treating carpal tunnel and as a result advises you to throw on one of these bulky and restrictive devices.

Personally, I am not a big fan of wearing wrist splints for the treatment of carpal tunnel. They did not work for me at all, but other individuals get some temporary relief! They are not meant to rid you of carpal tunnel altogether but are meant to provide support and pain relief.

So what exactly is a wrist splint?

To be honest it’s simply is a cloth-like device that is used to prevent the wrist from bending in it’s normal range of motion. Wrist splints are “supposed” to stop any pressure or pinching of your median nerve.

When you wear a carpal tunnel wrist splint, you will discover that the palm of your injured hand cannot bend forward as it normally would.

How do I choose a wrist splint that is best for me?

When selecting a splint for your carpal tunnel, there are many to choose from. Here are 3 of the most popular:

Neutral splints – Usually your cheapest choice. Can be found at any drugstore or pharmacy. They are designed to keep your wrist straight, severely impacting your ability to flex or extend your wrist.

Cock-up splints – Have such a name simply due to the fact that they keep your wrist in a “cocked”, upward position. Many carpal tunnel sufferers resort to wearing these more expensive splints at night.

Occupational-specific splints – Hands down, your most expensive option, especially if you are not covered by health insurance. The main reason these wrist splints are so expensive is because they are custom made to suit your job. You will have to visit a custom orthotic store to be fitted for one of these devices and you’ll most likely have to fill in a questionnaire.

If you want to give carpal tunnel wrist splints a try, you need to warned that you are best advised to avoid wearing it all day long. And this is where I have an issue with any type of splint for injury. Wearing them over an extended period of time promotes muscle weakness and fatigue! As a result, when you take them off, your symptoms will most likely get worse.

A better option to wearing a wrist splint is to try out wrist ice therapy wraps. They very much resemble a wrist splint but they contain a ice/gel bag inside which you keep in your freezer. You should apply an ice wrap for temporary pain relief twice a day for 10 minutes.

When you wear your carpal tunnel ice therapy wrap, it will decrease any swelling or inflammation that you have in your wrist plus eliminate your hand/wrist pain. As with any repetitive strain injury, the only True way to recover and heal your degenerated tendons is through exercise.

Implementing a following an in-home carpal tunnel treatment program is usually the option of choice for many sufferers especially considering how expensive so called “traditional treatments” can be.

On the next page, a video will show you simple steps you can do right now at home, to treat and cure your carpal tunnel without having to wear bulky and restrictive carpal tunnel wrist splints or braces!